While it may be tempting to implement radio frequency communication in-house, it is often more cost-effective and time-efficient to partner with an experience supplier. Here are six reasons why:
1. Components complexity - Although wireless communication is a maturing technology, the tag and reader components used in fluid handling need to be specialized for the demands of the application. The majority of RF communication devices are designed to sense from as far away as possible. In fluid coupling applications, however, the goal is for the two halves to communicate only when the tag and reader are in close proximity.
2. Radio frequency tuning - Critical to the success of any wireless communication application is the ability to deal with RF noise in the environment. Specific to communicating fluid couplers, however, is the challenge of controlling the distance at which the coupler halves talk to each other; in applications involving fluid connectors, data communication between the tag and the reader is desired only within a specific proximity.
3. Security - An experienced supplier of fluid connectors with wireless capabilities will be familiar with security issues and can work with machine builders to ensure that products will cope with today’s and tomorrow’s wireless security challenges.
4. Integrated components - In-house machine builders can sometimes source RF/RFID parts from various vendors and get them to perform tolerably together. However, an experienced supplier of wireless fluid connectors rigorously tests the quality of its readers, tags and fluid connectors as a total system, ensuring better mating of wireless devices and fluid couplings.
5. Economics - Proven suppliers of wireless fluid connectors usually purchase components in volume and can offer economies of scale not available to individual, one-off users.
6. Industry and market expertise - A knowledgeable supplier of wireless fluid connectors will understand the current and future trends in the RF market and be able to provide machine designers and manufacturers with forward-looking solutions backed by experience.
About CPC's intelligent technology
CPC's IdentiQuik® technology is a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system for quick disconnect couplings. A patented design embeds RFID-based electronic intelligence into a variety of our most popular and industry-leading coupling configurations, enabling the exchange of rewritable data once the coupling halves come within a few centimeters of one another.
IdentiQuik couplings are ideal for applications with a product involving onboard electronics and parts or media that that are consumable or expensive, along with a need to control the process to ensure the use of the right tool at the right time.
Additional Resources
White Paper: The Role of Intelligent Connectors
Article: Communicate Critical Device and Process Data
Interactive Presentation: Intelligent Fluid Connectors
If you would like to learn more about CPC's intelligent technology OR any of our products, please complete the form, and a CPC representative will be in contact with you.